Pitch modifying mouthpiece for brass wind musical instruments



Feb. 17, 1942. c 2,273,177

PITCH MODIFYING MOUTHPIECE FOR BRASS WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed April 4. 1940 INVENTOR. Dome)? It? (a 2' rack to;

ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 17, 1942 UNiTED SKATES OFFICE PITCH MODIFYING MOUTHPIECE FOR 9 Claims.

The present invention relates to an improvement in mouth pieces for musical wind instruments .of the non-reed type, and is utilized on trombones, cornets, trumpets and horns.

The main feature of the present improvement is in the provision of means whereby, with a comparatively simple construction, the tone or pitch of the instrument may be sharpened or fiatted as desired, by manually increasing or decreasing the volumetric capacity of the resonance separately, with portions broken away and sectioned, to more fully disclose the construction;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the mouth piece, looking towards the left end of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the mouth piece, with the air cup and cup adjusting means removed;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-t, Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a reduced, side view of the cup adjusting thimble or ferrule;

Fig. 6 is an end View of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a side View of the air cup.

As in Fig. 3, the main portion of the present improvement comprises a hollow cylindrical stem generally denoted by l, the end portion of which is tapered, as usual to receive the horn section,

not shown. One end of the stem has a preferably integral bell i thereon, the external perimeter thereof having an outstanding lip 14, which merges with the surface of the bell portion 4 with a tapered fillet iii, which forms a seat for a coacting adjusting thimb'le, as will later be described.

The stem i, has a threaded portion 5 which is located adjacent the bell portion 4, Fig. 3. The

bell portion 4, further, is provided with a cylindrical bore 2 inwardly of its front face the bore terminating in a flat seat 3, shown dotted in Fig. 3, said seat 3 being joined by a central bore 8 which runs the length of the stem, from seat 3 to the opposite end of said stem.

The bell 4 is of cylindrical formation and is provided with an angularly disposed thread-like slot 5 in its Wall, the length of said slot, which opens into bore 2, being about ninety degrees of 55 the circle of the hell 4, or about one quarter turn.

Into the bores 2 and B of the stem 1 is fitted, both rotatably and slidably, a wind cup, Figs. 1 and 7. Said cup comprises a cylindrical head 4 and an integral elongate, cylindrical stem 20. The head 4 is bored to form a concaved or cuplike depression 9 therein, which terminates at the outer cylindrical surface of 4 in a sharp edge 22.

The wind cup is provided with a central axial bore 2 l, shown in Figs. 1 and '7, this bore extending from the bottom of the cup 9, to the opposite end of the stem 20, said bore being increasingly tapered throughout its length from the cup 9 to the opposite end of the stem.

The dimensions of the wind cup and its stern 2.0 are such that it accurately fits the bores 2 and 8 of stem I, with the sharp edge 22 normally well below the lip M of the mouth piece, as shown in Fig, 1.

The outer cylindrical surface t of the wind cup mounts a threaded removable camming screw t9, Figs. 1 and '7. In assembling the wind .cup to the mouth piece, the screw I9 is first removed, and the wind cup is inserted into the mouth piece, as in Fig. 1, and .the screw i9 is then firmly entered into the cylindrical head 4' through the slot 5 of th mouth piece, thus .to form, as will later be described, a means whereby the cup may be rotatably slid from .its position in full lines, Fig. l, to the dotted position shown at Hi, Fig. 1, or the reverse thereof.

To accomplish the desired relative movement between the wind cup and mouth piece, a shouldered t-himble Ii, Figs. 1, 5 and 6 is provided, which rotatably fits over the cylindrical head 4, of "the mouth piece, said thimble being provided with a longitudinally located keyway it, into which exposed head of screw ll? is entered, when assembling. The thimble H is provided with an inwardly extended shoulder or seat 42, which has a central bore 23, into which the threaded portion .6 of the mouth piece extends in a relatively freely revoiuble manner, the inside face of the thimble shoulder it being relatively clear of contact with the rear wall of the mouth piece cylinder 4, and the threads 15, as seen in Fig. 1. I he forward edge of the thimble H is chain fered to coincide with the angled fillet IE on the rim It of the mouth piece, thus to form a contact seat between "the thimble and mouth piece.

As the thimble is manually rotatable it is provided with a knurled band It, to increase the finger grip action, in manipulation.

In order to hold the assembly above described in operative and locked condition, a cylindrical lock-nut I3 is provided, which is threadedly engaged with the threads 6 of the mouth piece 4, said lock-nut being shown partially in section, in Fig. 1. As this nut is also manually operated, it is also provided with knurling 25 on its outer cylindrical surface. In its operative locking position the nut l3 jambs the shoulder I2, of the thimble l l and thus forces or wedges the chamfered edge I! of the thimble against the angled fillet [5 of the mouth piece.

The device, as above described, permits of adjustability of the wind cup while playing upon the instrument, so that the pitch of the instrument may be raised or lowered, while blowing upon the mouth piece, by raising or lowering the wind cup. This is accomplished with one hand, r

the nut l3 being released by turning it to free it, with the fingers, after which the freed thimble l I is rotated in either direction, to raise or lower the cup within the mouth piece, such rotation as is permitted being to an extent of at least onequarter of a turn, to the limits of the length of the slot 5. The cup, through manipulation of the thimble, is thus simultaneously partially rotated and reciprocated in bore 2. After setting the pitch of the mouth piece, the look not is .1

l2 of the nally mounted upon the mouth piece for easy 1' and convenient hand manipulation, without tools.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A pitch adjusting mouth piece for brass musical instruments comprising an apertured mouth piece portion having an elongated stem, an apertured concaved bell portion mounted in said apertured mouth piece portion for slidable and rotative movement therein, rotative means externally mounted on said mouth piece portion and connected to said bell portion for adjustably causing the movements of said bell portion and means externally mounted on said mouth piece portion for locking all of said relatively moving portions in adjusted operative positions.

2. A pitch adjusting mouth piece as set forth in claim 1, in which the rotative bell adjusting means comprises a thimble which is threadedly mounted upon said mouth piece portion for reciprocal movement thereon, the thimble having a longitudinal key-way in its interior, the mouth piece portion having an elongated thread slot in its wall and a cam screw threadedly connected to the bell portion, said screw projecting through said elongated slot into the said thimble keyway, said locking means comprising a ferrule threadedly connected to said mouth piece portion.

3. In a mouth piece as set forth in claim 1, in which the mouth piece portion is in a single piece and comprises a cylindrical lipped bell, and has a cylindrical elongate bored stem integral therewith the stem having a threaded portion a wind cup receiving bore in said bell and an elongate I angularly disposed cam thread slot in the wall of said bell.

4. In a mouth piece as set forth in claim 1, 1n

which the concaved bell portion comprises a cylindrical head having an elongate stem thereon said head portion being bored to form said concave portion, said stem having a bore therein said bore connecting with the bore in said head portion and being progressively tapering outwardly from said head bore to the outer end of said stem, and a camming screw mounted on the exterior of cylindrical head.

5. In a mouth piece as set forth in claim 1 in which the mouth piece has an angular fillet between its bell portion and the elongate stem and the rotative means comprises a flanged and apertured thimble threadedly connected to said stem one edge of said thimble having an edge in contact with said fillet, said edge being champfered edge conforming to the angl of said fillet.

6. A mouth piece as set forth in claim 1, in which the stem is provided with a horn fitting taper.

7. In combination, a mouthpiece member comprising a stem and a cylindrical bell axially integral therewith, the wall of said bell being provided with a cam slot; a wind-cup portion rotatably and slidably mounted in said mouthpiece member and including a tubular shank and a head; a thimble member rotary on said mouthpiece member; one of said members being provided with a cam groove; a projection mounted on said head and engaging in said grooves.

8. In combination, a mouthpiece portion comprising a stem and a cylindrical bell axially integral therewith, the wall of said bell being provided with a helical cam slot; a wind-cup portion rotatably and slidably mounted in said mouthpiece portion; said wind cup portion in cluding a shank and a head and integral therewith; said wind-cup portion being provided with an axial bore extending therethrough; a thimble provided with an interior longitudinal groove and rotatively mounted over said bell; a cam member mounted on said head and projecting through said cam slot and engaging said groove; and a lock nut for said thimble threaded on said stem.

9. In combination, a mouthpiece portion comprising a hollow stem; a cylindrical bell on the other end of said stem and provided with a cylindrical bore terminating in a flat seat, and provided with an outstanding lip at the open end provided with an angular fillet at the under face thereof, the wall of said bell being provided with an helical cam slot extending about a quarter turn around the wall; the portion of the stem adjacent to the bell being provided with outstanding threads; a wind cup portion slidable and rotary in said mouthpiece portion; said head being provided with a cup-like depression terminating at the outer cylindrical surface of said head in a sharp edge; said wind cup portion being provided with a stem having an axial bore extending from the bottom of said depression through said shank; a screw mounted on said head and projecting through said cam slot; a cylindrical thimble rotatively mounted on said bell and provided with an interior longitudinal groove and with an inwardly extending shoulder; the screw projecting through said cam slot engaging said groove, said shoulder extending inwardly over the rim of the bell; the outer rim of said thimble being champfered and engaging the under face of said outstanding lip.

DOMENICK CALICCHIO. 

